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Police to test camera-Taser combination

Baltimore County police plan to test camera-equipped Tasers as part of a pilot program to explore the usage of body cameras on officers.

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Updated: 10:20 PM EST Dec 5, 2014

Police to test camera-Taser combination

Baltimore County police plan to test camera-equipped Tasers as part of a pilot program to explore the usage of body cameras on officers.

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Updated: 10:20 PM EST Dec 5, 2014

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WEBVTT -- OF A COLD. ASTAL STORM. NOW TO OUR BIG STORY. LEADERS IN BALTIMORE COUNTY ARE CONSIDERING EQUIPPING LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WITH BODY CAMERAS. COUNTY EXECUTIVE KEVIN KAMENETZ WANTS TO STUDY THE IDEA. 11 NEWS REPORTER KAREN CAMPBELL IS LIVE AT COUNTY POLICE HEADQUARTERS WITH MORE ON THIS STORY. KAREN. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS ALSO IN THE PROCESS OF TESTING TASERS EQUIPPED WITH CAMERAS AND PLANS ON BEGINNING A PILOT PROGRAM WITHIN THE NEXT 30 DAYS. ELLSWORTH JACKSON SAYS HE APPRECIATES POLICE OFFICERS BEING EQUIPPED WITH BODY CAMERAS, BUT IT SHOULDN'T BE THE SOLUTION. YOU HAVE GOOD POLICE OFFICERS WHO WORK IN THE COMMUNITY AND WORK WITH PEOPLE, BUT THEN YOU HAVE THOSE WHO DO NOT DESERVE TO HAVE A BADGE. AS PROTESTORS CONTINUE TO VOICE THEIR CONCERNS ACROSS THE NATION CALLING FOR JUSTICE AND ACCOUNTABILITY AMONG OFFICERS, BALTIMORE COUNTY EXECUTIVE KEVIN KAMENETZ WANTS TO STUDY THE USE OF BODY CAMERAS FOR FIELD OFFICERS. IF WE DO HAVE A BODY CAMERA ON THE POLICE OFFICER THEN THAT MAY BE ABLE TO CLEAR UP THE ISSUE RIGHT AWAY BEFORE IT GETS TO BE A NEGATIVE INCIDENT. KAMENETZ IS ASKING POLICE CHIEF JIM JOHNSON TO CONDUCT A STUDY OF BODY CAMERAS. THE STUDY WILL EXAMINE THINGS LIKE COST, PRIVACY ISSUES, IMPACT ON POLICE OPERATIONS, AND DATA STORAGE AND RETENTION. THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF CONTROVERSY LATELY AND THERE WOULD BE VIDEO PROOF OF WHAT GOES ON SO THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO SHOW THAT PROOF IN COURT. KAMENETZ SAYS THE COUNTY ALSO PLANS TO INVEST MORE THAN $100,000 IN CAMERAS FOR THE COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT'S 54 TASERS. 43 TASERS ARE USED IN THE FIELD AND 11 ARE USED FOR TRAINING. THE BATTERY-POWERED CAMERAS ATTACH TO THE TASERS AND ARE DESIGNED TO ACTIVATE WHENEVER THE OFFICER TURNS THE TASER ON. WE'VE HAD SOME INCIDENTS INVOLVING TASERS THAT HAVE RESULTED IN DEATHS AND THERE ARE QUESTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. WHY DID YOU HAVE TO USE A TASER? WELL, OF COURSE FOR US, A TASER IS THE LAST RESORT BEFORE HAVING TO USE A FIREARM. WHEN WE'VE HAD DEATHS ASSOCIATED WITH TASERS, WE'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE ANSWERS AS TO WHAT THE CONDITION OF THE PERSON WAS WHEN THE TASER WAS FIRED. JACKSON SAYS ONE WAY TO MEND RELATIONSHIPS STARTS WITH POLICE TRAINING. WHEN THEY ARE IN TRAINING, IT SHOULD BEGIN RIGHT THERE -- IN TRAINING. SO THAT WHEN THEY COME OUT OF THE FIELD THEY SHOULD BE READY TO DO THEIR DUTY AND DO IT THE RIGHT WAY. A STUDY GROUP TO EXAMINE BODY CAMERAS WILL BE MADE UP OF MEMBERS FROM VARIOUS OFFICES WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING THE LEGAL AND OPERATIONS UNIT. ALSO, YOUTH AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES, FOP MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS. THE CHIEF'S RECOMMENDATIONS ON BODY CAMERAS ARE DUE IN 90 DAYS.

Police to test camera-Taser combination

Baltimore County police plan to test camera-equipped Tasers as part of a pilot program to explore the usage of body cameras on officers.